The Tech Gifts to Buy Before They Sell Out

All the perks of a modern MP3 player — including access to music-streaming apps — with hi-fi internals that make it sound better than their phone.

While many have been surprised by the return of wired earbuds, Stern wasn’t. “I’ve been using corded headphones on my computer for forever,” she says. “I just hate using Bluetooth on my computer.” These from Bose have gotten so popular that the company is having a hard time keeping them in stock.

Aura says that for those who are looking to boost the quality of their videos, an external microphone is the first step. This one from DJI is light enough to clip on their collar and has a charging case for up to 48 hours of total recording.

The latest version of JBL’s lava-lamp-like speaker features a light-up handle and a bedside lamp mode that turns this speaker into a lifestyle gadget that’ll do more than just keep the party going. But it’s great for that, too.

With this phone-size e-reader in their pocket, they’ll have no reason to not catch up on their to-be-read list. And since it runs Android, they can even install their favorite news or audiobook apps.

If they need something with a bigger screen, the aluminum version of Amazon’s latest Kindle is about as fancy as an e-reader gets.

Finally, a nice MacBook without the Apple tax.

Just in time for GTA VI.

Nintendo’s latest console may have debuted last year, but it’s still quite popular, especially with The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake that just came out.

A case that’ll ensure they always have enough juice to finish the level.

Or a more comfortable grip that’ll keep their Switch charged for hours and hours.

You don’t need to get them a full-blown console to up their gaming experience, though. This fun accessory turns their smartphone into a portable console, with consolelike controls on both sides. And since it supports Bluetooth, they can pair it with their laptop or console for wireless gaming, too.

“If I’m trying to get some quick shots on the go, this is the camera I use,” Aura says. It’s compact enough to keep in their pocket, ready to capture the moment in a pinch.

With this instant camera, every shot gets printed right away — no printer necessary.

Strategist writer Diksha Basu bought two for her kids.

Apple’s first smart display will play nice with all their other Apple gadgets and can do everything from show step-by-step recipes to managing all their home’s smart lights. And it has a great-sounding speaker, too.

Druckman says that this smart alarm clock — one of our favorites — is popular with teens thanks to its mellow design. “It’s beautiful, and a lot of teens are motivated by that,” she says. She does note, however, that it may not be suitable for college students, as she’s heard it doesn’t always play nice with college campus Wi-Fi.

“If I had a tiny kitchen with only enough space for one smart display,” Stern says, “it would have to be the Skylight. Like, there would be no arguing, my wife and nanny would agree.” It can help keep a busy household in order by showing everyone’s events, tasks, and chores in one central place. There’s even a rewards system to help keep the kids on track.

Aura just released a smaller version of its e-ink digital picture frame that makes photos look like matte prints. Images on it are truly gorgeous, and they’ll appreciate being kept in the loop with every family moment they may have missed.

Stern is also a big fan of the Matic robot vacuum. “It’s an amazing vacuum and has made incredible leaps this year in software alone,” she says. It’s true: It’s my favorite vacuum too. Its mapping is quick and all on-device, so they don’t have to worry about a map of their home ending up on some company’s servers.

Stern says the Brick was one of her most-asked-about gadgets this year. The company’s latest iteration ditches the tap-to-block method in favor of zone-based automation. Whenever they are within range of the Night — the range can be adjusted inside Brick’s app — all their most distracting apps are automatically blocked.

I tried recommending this neat little way to catch up with a friend last year, but it sold out before I could write anything about it. If they’re looking to make their calls feel a little more like the old days, I’d hop on this one quickly.

The keys on Clicks’s latest gizmo are so clicky, they’ll never want to go back to touch typing.

With this remote, they can turn the page and adjust the brightness of their e-reader, all without having to lift a finger.

Spare their hands the pain of smartphone pinkie with this luxe phone grip that doubles as a stand.

This portable charger breaks into two parts, so they can always help out a friend while keeping a little juice for themselves.

Help them up their stationery game with a printer that will let them create stickers on the fly.

It’s a Strategist classic for a reason: They won’t find an easier way to listen to in-flight movies with their favorite pair of headphones or earbuds.

Few things make as much of a statement as a phone case contoured specifically to hold their favorite lip balm.